Emeralds
by Dragongirl16
Summary: AU fic!! What if Lily Evans wasn't really an Evans? What if she was really the granddaughter of Slytherin himself? How would Harry's life change then?
1. Chapter 1: Hadrian

A/N: This is a response to the challenges posted on the DC James's web page.  They got me thinkin' =)

Ok, and people – this is just a muck around story for me…Faith, and its subsequent sequels (er, one for every year is how I've planned it out) are my main concern.  But sometimes, writer's block just hits, and this idea (plus a few others) has been rattling around my head for a while.

Enjoy!

Emeralds

Chapter One: Lily

            "James?  Where are you?" Lily's tremulous voice wavered on the cold October air.  Godric's Hollow was devastated – and Lily could find no trace of her fiancé anywhere.  Though they had been dating for ages – it hadn't been until the birth of Harry that James had decided to finally get serious and marry Lily.  She still felt bitter about that.  The man loved her, in his own way – but it was a frightfully cold way, as though she was more a possession than a person.  She shivered slightly in the brisk air, wishing for the hundredth time that she'd never given birth to the brat in the first place.  She didn't like children especially much – and though she loved Harry in her own way, she could have done with several more years of freedom, thank you very much.  Lily picked her way through the rubble of the house, calmly taking in the damage that surrounded her.  "Oh for the love of God, Tom.  Go overboard much?" she muttered.  She had few illusions as to what had happened.  Peter had finally broke and told Tom where Potter was.  She snorted inelegantly.  _Tom you blasted fool,_ she thought sourly,_ you've gone and ruined all my clothes!_ She sighed and glanced around her, finally spotting a pair of prone legs sticking out of the hallway.  _Ah, so he's dead then,_ she thought, mildly surprised at the pang of regret that went through her.  She hadn't expected that she'd grow attached to the fool.  He was never very serious for her – she'd only have one love of her life, and he wouldn't look at her.  _He probably doesn't even remember the one time we were together he was so drunk_, she thought, a twisted smile coming over her face.  Her curiosity satisfied, she was about to leave when a wailing cry pierced the air.  She jerked, her eyes going wide.  _Harry?_  The boy wasn't supposed to be here.  Sirius was supposed to have him – James was supposed to go undercover alone, dammit!  She gasped for breath as she headed for the sound of the cry, stumbling in her haste – a mother's instinct kicking in.  She might not have wanted the boy – but he was important to her, and the bloodline.  She finally made it to a small bedroom near the rear of the house and looked inside.  Harry lay on the floor, covered in blood and dirt, wailing, his skin an unhealthy pale shade.  Lily could feel the blood drain from her face.  She rushed over to the child and picked him up, cooing at him.

            "Shh, shh.  Mama's here little one.  Don't you worry.  Mama's here," she crooned, shrugging off her jacket and wrapping it around the child securely.  She glanced around the room, brow furrowing.  _What in the bloody blue blazes is Hadrian doing here?_ She wondered, absently calling her son by his full name.  She preferred Hadrian to Harry – the nickname was James's idea.  She rocked the child in her arms, and he slowly quieted.  She finally spotted another figure collapsed in the corner.  She walked over to it, prodding at the body with her toe.  The limp figure of a pretty blond woman greeted her, and Lily felt her mouth twist into a sneer.  _So, he's been fucking off behind by back then?_ She snarled, happy that the bastard was now dead.  She wondered if the girl staring at her blankly was the first or just the newest filly in James's stable of whores.  She shrugged after a moment, deciding that she really didn't care in the long run.  She sighed and shifted the now silent child in her arms.  Noises from the front of the house made her jump and caused Harry to cry softly.

            "In the guest bedroom!  I heard something!" Sirius's panicked voice could be heard.  Lily scowled.  His voice was the last thing she wanted to hear.  She thought swiftly, then discarded the idea of trying to be distraught.  _There's no way I'd be able to pull it off._  _I'll go for shocked and see what happens then,_ she decided, nodding once, sharply.  She carefully arranged herself in the middle of the room and then held herself stock still, waiting for them to find her.  

            A second later, Sirius burst through the doors of the guest bedroom, pain and anguish blatant on his features.  He paled when he saw Lily standing in the middle of the room, staring blankly at the dead woman in front of her.  Quickly behind Black arrived Dumbledore, Lupin and Severus.  Lily hid her reaction to seeing the tall Potions Master – a part of her wanted him to hold her, comfort her, tell her that he loved her.  But he didn't – and she knew that.  Severus only had eyes for one person, and that was Lucius Malfoy.  Lily doubted Severus never more than once glanced her way as a prospective love interest.  

            "Lily?" Sirius's weak voice echoed in the room.  Lily made herself jump slightly and turn to the sound, keeping her eyes wide and her lower lip trembling slightly.

            "Sirius?" God how she hated playing the weak fool.  But it served her needs – that she had to admit.  Sirius's face crumpled further, and he rushed to her, scooping her into his arms, causing Harry to cry loudly.  

            "Harry?  He's alive!" Sirius started to sob loudly onto her shoulder, his antics upsetting the child further.  Lily pulled out of his grasp as quickly as she could without causing suspicion.  

            "What's going on here?  Sirius, I thought you were babysitting for me?  Why was Had-er Harry here?" she asked, mentally smacking herself for the near slip up.  Sirius sobbed harder, sitting abruptly on the ground.  _Looks as though he'll be of no use to me,_ she thought disgustedly. 

            "He – James, I went to the store with Harry, and he – I saw him and that girl and I got angry.  Then James said I should come back to the house and he'd explain everything.  He – he – and then he said to get Remus, so I did, leaving Harry here, and then, and then -," he broke off, unable to continue.  Lily gritted her teeth.  So.  James had been parading his whores through Diagon Alley.  No wonder everyone was whispering about her when she was pregnant.  Lily seethed silently – _to see the last of the line of Slytherin brought to this point,_ she thought disdainfully.  Then an evil thought crossed her mind.  _James never claimed Harry as his son,_ she mused, a calculating look passing over her face.  She looked down at her son and smoothed the few wispy strands of hair off of his face.  That's when she noticed the scar.  The long, jagged cut was still oozing blood slightly, and Lily swayed a bit, before going and sitting on a piece of the fallen wall.  She stared at her son, true shock rattling through her.  She knew what the scar was from – and just who had given it to him.  She felt true rage burn through her – _that BASTARD,_ she snarled, a red film starting to cover her eyes.  _Tom, so help me.  You had better be dead or I'll kill you myself – blood relative or not._  She felt the others crowding around her, asking her questions, but she ignored them.  Instead, she concentrated on her blood relatives, feeling out the links that connected them.  All descendants of Slytherin had the ability – and considering the closeness of her own connection with Salazar – she had a stronger ability to feel out the family than they did to her.  For Lily wasn't the witch that everyone thought she was.  Indeed, 'Lily' wasn't even her real name.  Her real name was Lilliana, daughter of Octavia, granddaughter of Livia and Salazar Slytherin themselves.  She was the last of the pure Slytherin line – Octavia having had her own child out of wedlock and keeping the family name.  True enough, she couldn't find a trace of Tom, _bah that Lord Voldemort foolishness.  Ridiculous name._  But there was something there – an odd echo she didn't like at all.

            Lily snapped herself out of her musings and looked at the squabbling men around her.  They all seemed to attempting to decide where she should go, what she should do – while all Sirius did was sob on the ground.  She narrowed her eyes at them, deciding that it was time to speak up for herself.  She was damned if she was going to let these, these – _Gryffindors_ decide what was best for her.  She was a Slytherin, damnit!  She would take care of herself.

            "Gentlemen," she said coolly, grabbing everyone's attention.  She stood gracefully and regarded them all for a long moment, her gaze hard.  "While Hadrian and I appreciate your concern, you have no right to attempt to dictate my next move.  Lord Voldemort – also known as Tom Riddle is dead – or nearly that.  I will do what is best for my family now – without the interference of the likes of you," she said shortly, chin raised challengingly.  They all gaped at her in surprise, much to her amusement.  

            "But – but Lily!  What -," Remus began to sputter.  She sneered at him, holding Harry tightly to her.  She glanced at Dumbledore and felt a cold shiver work its way down her spine.  The old man had a calculating look on his face, and she would bet he was close to figuring out who she was.  She thought swiftly, and then made up her mind – _why the hell not?  What are they going to do?_  She turned her attention back to the werewolf.

            "Remus, I'll be fine.  I have a manor, a family name and plenty of money to support me.  I'll thank _you_ to stay out of my way, and out of my business," she snapped.  Remus stared at her, eyes wide and hurt.  She had never liked the werewolf in the first place.  Nor Sirius, and _definitely_ not Peter.  She sighed and glanced at the Headmaster again.  He was staring at her now, face expressionless.  _Ah, so he's finally figured out where he's seen my portrait then,_ she thought vindictively, a tiny smile crossing her face.  There was a portrait done of her just before her eleventh birthday, hanging in a remote gallery somewhere in Hogwarts.  Her grandfather had commissioned it, and then sent it to Godric as a gift.  She hid a small, fond smile that would have looked horribly out of place in the grim room.  Her grandfather had had the wickedest sense of humor.  _Oh how I miss him,_ she thought sadly, smile fading, raising her head and staring the Headmaster in the eye, daring him.  He took a deep breath, and let it out slowly.

            "I assume that we will be able to reach you at the Slytherin Estate?" he asked in the silence.  Severus's head whipped around to stare at the Headmaster in shock, while Sirius stopped sobbing to also look up in confusion.  Lily smiled, her expression sharp and cunning.

            "Very good, Dumbledore.  And yes, you may reach me at the Estate should you need to contact me.  Good bye, gentlemen," she spat, not looking at Severus as she gathered herself, and Disapparated.  The men were left in silence, the three younger wizards staring at the older man.  

            "What the _hell_ was Lily talking about?" Sirius finally spat, eyes wide and shocky.  Dumbledore crossed the rubble-strewn room and sat heavily on part of the fallen wall, shaky.  _How could I have missed it?_ He thought to himself.  _How could I not have seen?_ He sighed and ran a shaking hand over his face, tired and grief-stricken.  James had been like a grandson to him, and seeing his body lying in the hallway had pierced the old man's heart.  

            "She's not Lily.  She is Lilliana, daughter of Octavia, granddaughter of Salazar Slytherin himself," he said softly, almost unable to believe his ears.  "The true Heir of Slytherin has defeated Lord Voldemort," he murmured, wondering faintly what the wizarding world would make of the news.  

            "But, but how -?" Severus trailed off, for once speechless.  Albus sighed and bowed his head.

            "There was a story, handed down from one Headmaster to the next, about the four demons of Slytherin – the demons being, I believe, a humorous nickname for his daughters; Augusta, Octavia, Dementia and Lucretia.  They were supposedly beautiful girls, who were headstrong and spoiled by their father.  As legend has it, Leon Gryffindor, Godric's third born son of his second muggle wife, fell in love with Octavia's daughter, Lilliana, who was barely thirteen.  Godric tried to put the boy off of his idea, but the boy would have none of it.  So, one day, Leon went over to the Estate and tried to kidnap Lilliana.  The girl panicked, and disappeared – and never returned.  That's when Salazar and Gryffindor had their epic battle – for Godric had merely rebuked the lad, instead of punishing him.  Salazar had wanted the boy's head on a platter.  The two men dueled, and you all know the outcome of that, but that is the true reason why, from that point on, Salazar hated all things muggle or muggle-born related.  He blamed the whole Gryffindor line for his granddaughter's disappearance, and then left the school," the Headmaster finished tiredly.  The men in the room stared at him, wide-eyed.  

            "So, she – Lily, is really Lilliana Slytherin?  And, but, how -?" Sirius mumbled, confused.  Severus sat heavily on the floor, eyes wide.  A Slytherin.  That little girl with the hopeless crush had been a true blood Slytherin.  _It's a wonder she didn't kill me,_ he thought faintly.

            "What's going to happen to Harry now?" Remus asked, a frown appearing on his face.  The Headmaster sighed, rubbing his temples gently.

            "She's taken him to the Slytherin Estate.  No one knows where it is, really.  There's a fireplace in the school that can take you there – but you have to call ahead of time in order for it to work.  Otherwise – the last recorded mentioning of the Estate is somewhere near Salisbury, England," he said.  

            "A Slytherin," Remus murmured, finally closing his eyes.  "But what about James?  Harry was his son too." He pointed out.  Albus said nothing for a long moment.

            "I am blind to many of James's faults, Remus, but unfortunately, where the little boy is concerned I am not.  James never claimed the child, Remus.  He never wanted to be a husband.  He never wanted a wife – or a child for that matter.  He wanted his freedom, his women and his drink.  Lily has all rights to the child – his upbringing, his schooling, his name – everything.  We have no control over them," Albus said, finally, sadly.  Remus looked as though he wanted to argue, but finally sighed and slumped.  They all knew it was true – James had been cheating on Lily from the very beginning.  

            "What will happen now, Albus?" Severus asked in the silence.  The Headmaster looked up finally and locked tired eyes with the Potions Master.

            "I don't know, Severus," he said quietly.  "I don't know."

End Chapter One

A/N: Ok, to remind you all, this story is probably _not_ going to be updated as fast as I update Faith.  This is just a small, side story that I work on when I hit writers block.  And I'm listening to the Gladiator soundtrack.  ****


	2. Chapter 2: The Slytherin Estate: Eleven ...

A/N: thank you everyone who reviewed!! I'm so happy ya'll are liking this little side story.  Don't know exactly when the next update will be, so stay tuned!

Chapter 2: The Slytherin Estate: Eleven Years Later

            Lilliana Slytherin sighed as she read the Daily Prophet.  She glanced over to the pile of letters sitting on the table in front of her and scowled.  On top of the pile lay Hadrian's Hogwarts letter.  She sniffed disdainfully, and turned her eyes back to the articles in front of her.  She was putting off the inevitable, she knew that, but she still didn't want to admit that it had already been eleven years and that her baby was about to head off for school.  She hurumphed to herself once again and flicked the Daily Prophet open.  She hated the paper, but it was the last thing she had to read.  After the disparaging articles printed about Hadrian and herself some years back, she had made it her personal goal to ruin the paper as best she could.  The Prophet had had a field day when Lilliana had given birth to Harry out of wedlock.  And when James had died, and Lilliana disappeared, the rumors that she had really been an agent for the Dark Lord abounded.  _Those fools,_ she scoffed mentally.  It had taken a press release to quiet the hysterical mob, but unfortunately someone had let it slip that she was staying at the Slytherin Estate.  Pictures of her and Harry in the town proper below the estate had been procured – she smiled tightly though, thinking about all the attempts to find her house since.  The Estate protected itself quite well from all interlopers – the Estate would only allow those people she had specifically ok'ed onto the property.  Everyone else ended up wandering lost for days.  But mostly the attempts had made her want to scream.  She had no illusions as to who was behind the continued public interest and inquiry.  _If Albus thinks he can force me and my son into becoming some perfect little idols for his grand scheme now that his precious Potter is gone_…she was incensed.  So, she had admitted it to the press, much to Albus's horror, she could bet.  Yes, they were staying at the Slytherin Estate.  Why?  Because it was hers.  Hers by right of blood and decent.  The wizarding world had gone mad when they had found out.  

            Lilliana sighed and glanced up at the painting that dominated the room.  It was a portrait of Salazar Slytherin and his daughters; Augusta, Octavia, Dementia and Lucretia.  Lilliana let her eyes linger on her mother, the dark green gaze meeting the lighter hue.  _Oh mother,_ she thought faintly, _how I miss you and the family_.  Lilliana could still remember the day that she had been ripped away from her family quite clearly.  Leon had just burst into the room, eyes wide and a leering grin on his face.  She had sprung to her feet, a scream rising in her throat – but she hadn't had the time to give it voice.  He had scooped her up, fully intending to Dissapperate, when she had kicked him in the side, and scratched her fingernails down his face, causing him to drop her.  She was gone before she hit the ground.  Lilliana still wasn't sure how it happened, or where the idea had come from – but it saved her life.  

            She had regained consciousness in a dusty room.  It took several hours for her to realize that she _was_ in the Slytherin Estate – only almost a thousand years in the future.  It had been the portraits that had finally clued her in.  She hadn't wanted to accept the truth, but having it stare her in the face, she'd ended up having to.  

            She had wandered around in the manor for days, upset and scared, until her mother's portrait had scolded her forcefully and told her to look for her blood relatives.  That was how she'd found Tom.  Tom was – shocked, to say the least – about Lilliana's appearance.  He had just established his power base in England and had started recruiting heavily for his Death Eater ranks.  With his help, she had procured a fictional family and Hogwarts' admissions letter.  And so, she went off to school in a castle that was more like a second home to her than the remote, scary boarding school it was supposed to be.

            Lilliana sighed as she thought about her youth; hiding her advanced abilities had been so hard – and her inherent distrust of the Headmaster made her try all the harder to fit into the perfect little image of a good-hearted Gryffindor Mudblood.  She sneered.  She had _wanted_ to be in Slytherin, but she knew Tom was recruiting heavily from the House, and as much as she was thrilled to have a blood relative to help her on her way, Tom's policies and fanaticism were a bit too much for her.  _Besides, if Grandfather were here, he would have told the poor sod to piss off and rethink his ideals._  Her grandfather had been firmly against having muggle-borns attending Hogwarts – but his reasoning had been for the protection of the Wizarding world.  Witch hysteria had been high in those times, and though being burned at the stake was easily enough avoided – being stoned to death, hanged, beaten, etc, were a bit more difficult fates to elude.  Salazar Slytherin had wanted to keep the bloodlines pure, and supplement them with the muggle born children, who would have been taken from their families at birth and raised in proper wizarding households.  

            A sudden pounding of feet drew her from her thoughts and she looked up in time to see Hadrian burst through the doors.  He halted abruptly when he caught sight of her still at the table, but relaxed at her fond smile.  Hadrian had grown up to be a fine boy, small and slight like herself and her grandfather, as well as his grandfather's unruly hair.  She glanced at the messy locks – no matter what charm she'd used on it, it would calm down at all.  She shook her head slightly and returned to the paper.

            "Mother?  Is it here?" Hadrian asked hesitantly.  She glanced at him over the top of the paper.

            "Maybe.  Why don't you come and see?" she said teasingly.  Hadrian approached eagerly.

            "Draco said his came yesterday.  He was so proud, he kept showing off to me.  He wouldn't stop lording it over me that he'd gotten his first and –," she raised an eyebrow.

            "And when did you see Draco yesterday?" she asked sternly.  Hadrian halted, one hand reaching out to the pile of letters on the table, a guilty look crossing his face.

            "Er, when he fire-called me and then flooed over?" he said sheepishly.  Lilliana scowled at him.

            "Hadrian, how many times have I told you to ask me before one of your friends comes over?" she demanded.  Hadrian looked down at his shoes and shrugged.  "Hadrian, I will not permit such stature in my house.  Look up at me, in the eye and answer me clearly."  Hadrian raised his head and looked at his mother.

            "Many times," he said clearly.  "I'm sorry, Mother.  I wont do it again."  She snorted.

            "Of course you will.  But maybe I'll have more time between panic attacks next time," she said sourly.  Then her face softened.  "Hadrian, remember, it's for your own good.  There are many people out there who would hurt you, kidnap you, kill you, all because of you name.  You _have_ to be careful, careful with who you associate with, who you're around.  Because if you're not, then one day you may just end up dead because of it," she said seriously.  Hadrian nodded quickly, clasping his hands in front of himself tightly.  "Alright.  Now you may look at your letter."  His face lit up.

            "So it _did_ come!" he exclaimed, springing forward to the pile on the table.  Lilliana smiled.

            "Of course it did, silly," she said as she watched him tear the letter open.  He scanned it quickly, face glowing.  He looked up at her, eyes wide. 

            "Does this mean we get to go to," he voice dropped to a whisper, his eyes going wide, "_Diagon Alley?_" Lilliana smiled wider.

            "If you like," she said dismissively.  He nodded vigorously.  "Why don't you fire-call Draco and see if you want to go together." Harry nodded and ran for the study.  She watched him go with fond eyes.

            The Malfoys were the one family out of all of Tom's followers that she had let have intimate communication and access to the manor.  She remembered the Malfoy family from her Grandfather's time – and little seemed to have changed over the many years.  Lucius followed power, and it was undeniable that Hadrian and she had much more power than Tom's precious little Lord Voldemort routine.  She chuckled to herself, setting down the paper and getting up.  Besides, she wanted to talk to Narcissa about the new fashions in from Paris, and no one else around the manor could accommodate her.  Lazily she followed her son into the study, coming in time to see Hadrian chatting a mile a minute to Draco.  The blond was wide-eyed and excited, happy that his best friend could come to Diagon alley with him.  Draco was as protected and fussed over as Hadrian was – perhaps more so, for Lilliana was young enough and healthy enough to have more children if she so chose.  Narcissa, on the other hand…Draco's pregnancy had been hard on the frail woman, and she would never be able to bear any more children.  Thus making Draco the only hope for Lucius's line to continue.  She smiled at Draco when he caught sight of her.

            "Hello Aunty Lill.  How are you?" the blond asked politely.  

            "I'm fine, Draco, thank you.  When you boys are through, could you get your mother to fire-call me?  We'll work out the details of our little shopping trip, alright?" Draco nodded quickly and Lilliana wandered from the room, knowing the boys would be talking for some time yet.  It was a blessing for the two boys that they got along so well – Hadrian and Draco adored each other, to be truthful.  While Lucius had tried to get Draco to associate with other children, the blonde's insistence in including Hadrian in everything had severely hampered those friendships Lucius had tried to make Draco forge.  Draco had spent a lot of time over at the Slytherin Estate, roaming its countryside and riding its horses.  Lilliana hadn't minded in the least – she was happy that Hadrian had found such a close friend, and having Narcissa come over had also helped in easing her own loneliness.  

            She walked out to the patio and leaned against the cold stone railing, looking out over the immaculate gardens.  She let her gaze roam over the fountains of roses, the nicely trimmed hedges.  She let her mind relax and the stress ease from her body.  She still had a little under a month with her boy, her beautiful Hadrian before he left her.  She would make the most of it.

End Chapter 2

Review Responses:

Muggle: My first reviewer!  Thank you!  And don't worry, I never leave things half done =)

Ysabell: LOL =) No, this story wont be abandoned.  Thank you for the review!

Morgana: Thank you for the lovely review!

ShanniC: Well, this is a writers-block fic, so it wont be updated as fast as my main story, but don't worry, it wont be abandoned completely =)

Sristi: thanks!

Star Mage: Thank you!

Athenakitty: The time travel will be explained.  Lily becomes more motherly, and Severus has a part to play in Harry's life at Hogwarts.  

Seth: Lol, will try and hurry up with the next part.  I'm glad you're enjoying the fic!

Jul: thank you!

Miss Razlyn: Thank you very much!

Caela: Will do! Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you for the review!

Bane: thank you for the wonderful review!  


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